


A Very Juliet Thanksgiving

by moondragon23



Series: Shules for the Holidays [2]
Category: Psych
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Humor, Light Angst, Pregnancy, Romance, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-26
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2018-01-02 18:16:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1059985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moondragon23/pseuds/moondragon23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shawn and Juliet fly to Miami to spend Thanksgiving with Juliet's family. During the trip, the couple receives some unexpected news.<br/>Sequel to Halloween is for Criminals Too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. To Brother's House We Go

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Psych or any of its characters. All other publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. 
> 
> I had hoped to start posting this story sooner, but real life and a lack of inspiration kept getting in the way.  
> Oh well, better late than never. I will try to get this story done as quickly as life permits.
> 
> This story is a sequel to my Halloween story and will reference events that happened in it. While not necessary to read it first, I highly recommend it.
> 
> This story is dedicated to my father, whose is celebrating his 54th birthday today.  
> Happy Birthday Dad!

Shawn stared at the items laid out on the bed. Heaps of clothing, toiletries and other assorted objects covered most of the bedspread. There was no way all that was going to fit in one suitcase. He didn't understand why Juliet needed all this stuff. They were only going to be gone a week.

He looked over at the much smaller pile sitting on the edge of the bed. His stuff would fit no problem. Maybe he could shove some of Juliet's things in there as well, so they wouldn't have to pay to check an extra suitcase.

Shawn heard a thumping in the hallway. He turned as Juliet dragged two suitcases into the room one at a time. “Got them,” she said, placing them next to the bed. “Though one was half filled with green Jolly Ranchers and five tubes of toothpaste.” She looked expectantly at Shawn, clearly hoping for an explanation.

“I guess I forgot to empty it after Gus and I took that trip to San Francisco over the summer.” He grinned fondly as he remembered that trip. “Gus ended up locked in one of the cells on Alcatraz. It took them four hours to find the keys to let him out.”

“And I'm sure that happened completely by accident,” Juliet said dryly.

“I told him not to bad mouth the ghosts,” Shawn said with a grin. He pulled Juliet towards him, rubbing the back of her hand gently with his thumb. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she said decisively. “I think I finally kicked that stupid stomach bug. I was a little nauseous this morning but I feel fine now.”

“You certainly look better,” Shawn agreed. The color had returned to her face and she had this glow about her that had been absent the last few days. “In fact, I would say you look even better now than before you got sick.”

Juliet grinned at him before dissolving into a huge yawn. “Let's hurry up and finish packing. We need to be up early and I hope to get some sleep tonight. We could have had this done hours ago if you weren't out with Gus all day.”

“I'm not going to see my buddy for a whole week. We needed some time to prepare for that, build up a reserve tank of awesomeness for the both of us,” Shawn explained.

She shook her head as she walked over to the bed, surveying the items on it. “Is that all you're bringing?” she asked in surprise.

He shrugged. “I learned to travel light. You can't carry much on the back of a motorcycle.” He waved at her own pile. “Besides, I think you're bringing enough stuff for the both of us.”

“I want to make sure I have everything I need,” Juliet protested.

“Well, despite this huge amount of stuff, I know one thing you're forgetting,” Shawn said teasingly.

“What?”

“You didn't pack anything to wear to bed.”

“Yes I did.” Juliet pulled out a worn pair of shorts and an old tank top from the pile. “See?”

“I was thinking something more fun. This is a vacation after all,” Shawn said, lifting one eyebrow suggestively.

“Except we're staying at my brother's house. That means we're going to have to behave ourselves,” she said, poking him in the chest.

Shawn pouted. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“No sex.”

“Not even a little?” he pleaded.

“How do you have sex a little? You know what, forget I asked,” she said quickly as he opened his mouth. “The answer is no. Going a week without sex won't kill you.”

“But it's already been almost a week because you've been sick,” he whined.

“Shawn, you're going to behave during this trip or it will be much longer than another week,” Juliet threatened.

Shawn winced. He knew from unfortunate experience that that was not an idle threat. “All right,” he said reluctantly. “I guess I'll probably survive.” He gave a long suffering sigh but didn't push it any further, not wanting Juliet to decide to carry out her threat.

She started to lift one of the suitcases onto the bed when Shawn stopped her. “Let me,” he said, grabbing it with his right hand. “You shouldn't put too much stress on that shoulder yet.” She had dislocated her shoulder when she had been kidnapped by a killer on Halloween. She had only recently stopped wearing the sling and he didn't want her to overwork herself.

She let go with a bemused smile. “Only if you watch your own arm.” He had been shot in the left arm by the same killer. His own injury was taking longer to heal and right now he had very limited use of it.

He carefully put both suitcases on the bed and they started to pack. He immediately saw that his guess was right; Juliet wouldn't be able to fit everything. “Need any help?” he asked slyly.

“I got it.” She packed the clothing as tightly together as she could, trying to cram it all in.

“Maybe you should leave some things behind. We're not moving down there, you know.”

“It will fit, Shawn,” she growled stubbornly. Shawn watched as she crammed the last item in and attempted to close the lid. There was a good four inch gap bursting with fabric.

“I have some room in mine, if you need it,” Shawn said.

“I don't.” She leaned on the lid, trying to force it shut.

“Maybe if we repacked it,” Shawn tried to suggest.

“Are you saying I don't know how to pack a suitcase?” Juliet snapped.

Shawn put up his hands, taking a step back. “I'm just trying to help.”

“I don't need help. I can do this on my own.” She climbed onto the bed and sat on the suitcase. The halves got closer, but there was still a gap. She pulled on the zipper stubbornly, wincing as the movement yanked on her injured shoulder.

“Okay, enough is enough.” He didn't know what had gotten into Juliet, but he wasn't going to see her hurt herself. He got up on the bed next to her and gave her a nudge. “Move over.”

They managed to get the suitcase closed by Shawn lying across the top of it while Juliet zippered it shut. Shawn gently eased off it, eyeing it carefully in case it burst open and flung its contents across the room. Once he was sure it was going to stay shut, he quickly finished packing his own suitcase. He couldn't resist giving Juliet a smug grin as he easily zippered it shut by himself.

He placed both suitcases next to the bed, then looked at the clock. “You know, we have a few hours before we have to leave for the airport. We don't have to spend all that time sleeping.”

Juliet gave an exasperated sigh. “Is that all you think about?”

“Well, I am a guy,” Shawn said, moving closer to Juliet. He reached out with his good arm and pulled her against him.

“I have noticed,” she said wryly. She rested her head against his chest, yawning deeply.

Shawn sighed, holding her tightly with his good arm. “How about you get ready for bed while I drag these suitcases to the door? Just sleep,” he added before she could protest. “You do look like you could use the rest.”

“Thanks Shawn.” She pulled him for a kiss, wisely cutting it off before it could lead anywhere. “Don't take too long.”

He let her go and started dragging the suitcases to the door one at a time. By the time he was finished, Juliet was already curled up in bed, fast asleep. He stood there for a minute watching her. She was even more beautiful while she slept, all the worries and tensions from the day erased from her features. He still couldn't believe that she had fallen for a guy like him.

He set the alarm and stripped down before slipping into the bed next to her. He smiled as she cuddled up against him. Closing his eyes, he quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Shawn pushed his way through the crowd, dragging his suitcase behind him. He wished for the seven bazillionth time they had gotten the ones with wheels. It would have made crossing through the crowded airport a little easier.

He hissed as someone jostled his injured arm. A crowd was definitely not the best place to be with a healing gunshot wound. He made sure to stay close behind Juliet, hoping she spotted her brother soon.

The plane ride had been uneventful, despite the ungodly hour of the morning it took off. Even so it was almost five o'clock in Miami when they landed because of the time difference. Shawn had tried to keep himself occupied the best he could without annoying too many of the other passengers or getting into trouble. He thought he did pretty well; Juliet only yelled at him six times. Not bad for a five hour flight.

He had made one half-hearted attempt to convince Juliet to join the Mile High Club with him, but hadn't pushed it when she said no. With both their injuries, a cramped airline bathroom was probably not the best place to mess around. Though he wouldn't have been him if he hadn't at least _suggested_ it.

Maybe next time, when they were all healed up.

“James!” Juliet yelled, bringing Shawn out of his thoughts. He followed behind his girlfriend to a well-dressed man in his early forties with dark brown hair and blue eyes. While not as bulked out as his brother Ewan, it was clear James kept himself in shape.

“Juliet!” he exclaimed, pulling her into a hug, being careful of her shoulder as he did so. “It's so great to see you. How was your flight?”

“Fine,” Juliet said. She glanced over at Shawn. “Though someone got a little bored.”

James finally looked at Shawn. “So, you're the boyfriend, uh?”

Shawn held out his hand. “Shawn Spencer.”

“James O'Hara.” He squeezed Shawn's hand tighter than normal, but Shawn had no desire to get into a contest with this man. He needed to make friends, not enemies.

“Let me grab your bag and I'll show you where the car is,” James said. He picked up Juliet's suitcase with a grunt. “How much stuff did you bring? You're only going to be here a week.”

“That's what I said,” Shawn muttered. Juliet slapped his arm before following her brother, leaving Shawn to bring up the rear.

James had managed to score a spot in one of the closer parking lots. Shawn helped James load the luggage into the trunk, then went around and opened the passenger door for Juliet. “Milady,” he said with a bow.

She giggled and started to climb in before James stopped her.

“I want your boyfriend to sit up front with me,” he said. “It will give us a chance to talk.”

She looked at Shawn, raising an eyebrow. She had told Shawn James was overprotective of her, to the point of scaring off a couple of her boyfriends in high school. He also refused to call them by name unless he deemed them worthy enough for her. So far, Scott had been the only boyfriend of Juliet's James had liked. Shawn was determined to change that.

“No problem,” he said. He moved to open the back door for Juliet, once again giving her a little bow. She smiled at Shawn, though gave her brother a sharp look before getting in the car. James just shook his head, not intimidated at all by his kid sister.

Shawn got carefully into the car, fumbling a bit with the seat belt until Juliet helped. James waited until everyone was settled before pulling out of the parking lot and out onto the highway.

For the first half of the ride, James talked mostly to Juliet, catching up on her life while telling her what was going on with his. Shawn was interested to note Juliet told a watered down version of some of their cases, barely mentioning the incident on Halloween at all. He supposed she didn't want her family to worry too much about her safety with her kind of job.

“So, Juliet tells me you work with her at the police department,” James said, glancing at Shawn. “Consulting, I believe she said.”

“That's right,” Shawn said. “Been doing it for seven years now.”

“You must be good, if they've been using you that long,” James commented.

“I am,” Shawn said smugly.

“She also said you own your own business. A psychic detective agency?” Shawn could clearly hear the skepticism in James' voice.

Shawn glanced back at Juliet. They had discussed what they would say about his job if her family asked. She didn't like lying to her family, but most of them had already heard he was psychic. It was easier to keep the charade going for now. Still, he knew how much it bothered her and had promised to play it down as much as he could.

“When you have a gift, you use it,” Shawn said with a shrug. “I learned a lot growing up with a cop for a father and saw a way I could do some good.”

James glanced over at him. “Prove it.”

“James,” Juliet admonished from the back seat.

James ignored her. “If you're really a psychic, then you should have no problem telling me what I'm thinking right now.”

“It doesn't really work that way,” Shawn said hesitantly.

“Of course it doesn't,” James said smugly.

Well, if that wasn't a challenge, Shawn didn't know what was. He couldn't back down now. He heard Juliet sigh behind him, knowing what Shawn was planning on doing.

Shawn put his right hand to his temple, closing his eyes. He replayed everything he had seen of James so far, looking for any clues to use in his vision. “I'm sensing that someone is getting a very musical gift for Christmas. A boy with an appreciation for the classics, of rock that is. Not the youngest, but the second youngest.”

There had been a cloth covered item in the back of the trunk. Judging by the shape, it was likely a guitar case. James didn't have any calluses on his fingers, so it wasn't his. Juliet had mentioned that her nephew Drake was really into music, but not that he played anything. This close to the holidays, good old dad was probably hiding a gift in his car for his son.

James nodded slowly. “Good guess.”

Shawn grinned. “I wouldn't leave it hiding in the trunk if I were you. With Beth's car in the shop, both her and the boys will be using yours more often and someone is bound to find it.” He had noticed a pair of woman's sunglasses in the visor and James had kept adjusting the seat and mirrors. The parking decal for Axis Technologies told him it was James' car but his wife was using it.

James raised an eyebrow. “Not bad.”

Better, but Shawn wasn't finished yet. He leaned in conspiratorially towards James. “And dude, don't be ashamed of wearing glasses. It happens to a lot of people as they get older. Juliet won't think any less of you because of it.” He had seen the marks on the side of James' nose, along with several aborted gestures like he was reaching up to adjust something on his face. His eyes were tearing more than usual, telling Shawn he wasn't used to wearing contacts.

James glanced sheepishly back at Juliet. “Looks like you're boyfriend caught me.”

“I told you he's good,” she said smugly.

Shawn suppressed a sigh. Still 'the boyfriend' though it looked like he had at least managed to impress James a little.

“How well does the job pay?” James asked.

“It depends on how many cases we get. Usually at least one a week from the department along with a handful of private cases.” He wasn't sure of the exact figure. He let Gus handle all the financial concerns for the business.

“And it's enough to support you and Juliet?”

“I have my own job, James. I don't need Shawn to support me,” Juliet said.

“Do you need to support him?” James asked. Juliet hesitated, looking over at Shawn. He could sense any ground he had gained with his vision rapidly being lost.

James didn't miss the look. “I see.” He was quiet for a minute, then turned to look at Shawn. “Is the job dangerous?”

“As dangerous as Juliet's job is,” Shawn replied honestly. He shifted in the seat, his arm giving a sudden throb as if to remind him of just how dangerous the job could be.

James looked at Shawn's arm, then turned his eyes back to the road. “I guess I don't have to ask how far you're willing to go to protect her.”

Shawn answered anyway. “I'd do anything to keep her safe.”

James nodded thoughtfully, a look of respect entering his eyes.

Interrogation over for now, the conversation turned back to Juliet's family and the upcoming holiday feast. Shawn didn't say much, simply listening and learning as much about this family as he could.

They had reached the outskirts of Miami and entered the suburbs. Soon Shawn found himself looking up at a large two story house, complete with a white picket fence around the large front yard. He bet the back yard was even bigger.

He let out a low whistle as he got out of the car. “That web design stuff sure pays well.”

James grinned smugly. “I get by.”

Shawn opened the door and helped Juliet out of the car. She looked up at the house, excitement evident on her face. “I can't wait to see everyone.”

“The boys should all be home,” James replied from the back of the car. “They've been eagerly waiting your arrival.” Shawn went to help with the bags but James waved him away. “Go head on in. I've got them.”

Shawn returned to Juliet and together they made their way up to the house. He couldn't help but feel nervous again at the prospect of meeting Juliet's family. She seemed to sense this and reached out to grab his hand. “Relax, I'm sure they'll love you.”

“Of course. Who wouldn't?” Shawn said with a grin. “I'm a very lovable guy. You love me. So I'm sure your family will to. I mean, James hasn't seemed too thrilled with me but Lloyd and Maryanne like me OK. Ewan did too, but, you know.” He clamped his mouth shut, aware he was babbling in his nervousness.

Juliet gave his hand a squeeze. “I do love you. No matter what they think. Everything will be fine.”

Shawn took a deep breath, letting out some of the tension. “All right, let's do this.” They finished walking up the pathway and to the front door.

Juliet turned to look at him. “Ready?” When Shawn nodded, she grabbed the handle and opened the door.


	2. Meet the Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since we only know details about a few of Juliet's family members, the rest I had to make up on my own.  
> Luke was created because I needed a nephew young enough to still be a kid. The other ones are too old by this point. He was a toddler in “Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy,” which is why you didn't see him.  
> I hope the choices I made make sense.  
> Please enjoy.

“Hello? Anyone home?” Juliet called out as she and Shawn entered the house. She looked around the large foyer for any sign of her nephews. Directly in front of them was a staircase leading to the second story. Hallways on their right and left lead to the ground floor rooms.

“Aunt Julie is here!” a voice called out from above them before three teenage boys came running down the stairs. Shawn wisely stepped to the side as they headed straight for Juliet.

She laughed as they all tried to hug her at once. “It's great to see you guys.” They had grown since the last time she had seen them. Isaac was taller than her now, with Finn and Drake not far behind. The only one missing was her youngest nephew Luke.

“I missed you, Aunt Julie,” Issac said, shoving his brothers out of the way to give her a hug first.

“I missed you too,” she said with a smile.

“Well, I missed you more,” Drake proclaimed. He pushed Issac, trying to reach Juliet. Isaac pushed back and a mini shoving match ensued. She tried to hide a wince when they accidentally tugged on her injured shoulder in the process.

Shawn noticed. “Hey guys, ease up on your aunt a little.” They stepped back as he came up behind her. He rubbed her right arm gently, looking down at her with concern until she smiled up at him.

Drake looked guiltily at her. “I didn't hurt you, did I? Dad told us about your arm.”

“It's fine,” she assured him.

“Just be more careful next time,” Shawn added. “Juliet is a fragile flower that needs to be handled carefully.”

The 'fragile flower' elbowed Shawn hard in the stomach. The boys grinned when Shawn groaned and stepped quickly away. “On second thought, I'm sure she can handle herself,” he gasped, trying to catch his breath.

James appeared in the doorway dragging the two suitcases. “Out of the way boys.” They all back up to give him space to put the luggage down. He shut the door and turned to look at the group in the foyer. “I see the boys didn't let you get very far,” he said dryly.

Her nephews shifted uncomfortably at their father's words and Juliet fought to hide a smile. “They were very excited to see me,” she said in their defense.

James smiled, shaking his head. “I'll bet. It's all they've been talking about for the past month.”

“It has been awhile since I've last seen them,” she said, feeling a bit guilty. With everything going on with work, she hadn't been able to see her nephews for almost a year.

“Don't worry. They'll have all week to drive you crazy,” James pointed out. “Mom and Lloyd are in the guest room, so you'll be in my study.” He pointed down the hallway to the right. “The couch folds out into a bed. I'll leave your bags in there.” He turned to address his sons. “I know your eager to see your aunt, but I'm sure she's tired from her trip. Why don't you take her into the family room so she can sit down and relax?”

“OK Dad,” Finn said. Carefully grabbing the hand on her good arm, he lead Juliet down the hallway, his brothers and Shawn following behind.

The family room was large with several couches and comfortable looking chairs. A top of the line entertainment center took up one wall.

Juliet sat down on the couch facing the TV. She sighed as she leaned back against the cushions, not realizing how tired she was until now. The couch was very comfortable and she found herself fighting to keep her eyes open.

Shawn leaned against the armrest next to her, leaving the rest of the couch open for the boys. There was a brief squabble as they argued over who got to sit next to her. She tuned them out, used to ignoring this kind of nonsense with Shawn and Gus.

Shawn was watching her closely, a slight frown on his face. She patted his leg, smiling up at him. “I'm fine,” she said quietly. He grabbed her hand before she could pull it away, lacing their fingers together.

“Aunt Julie?” Isaac asked, drawing her attention back to her nephews. “What happened to your arm?”

“I got hurt at work,” she replied.

“But how? Dad wouldn't tell us anything,” Finn complained.

She hesitated. The boys were looking at her expectantly but she didn't want to go into detail about what happened. Not even James knew the whole story. She didn't want her family to worry about how dangerous her job could be. She looked over at Shawn, unsure what she should tell them.

“You know, your Aunt Jules isn't the only one with an injury,” Shawn said, stepping away form the couch. “Have you guys ever seen a gunshot wound before?”

She rolled her eyes as the boys eagerly gather around Shawn. She never could understand guys fascination with gruesome injuries. Shawn's wound had healed over the past few weeks but was still an unpleasant sight to withhold.

“Will it always look that bad?” Drake asked.

“Nah, it will start to fade over time. Like this one.” Shawn pulled down the collar of his shirt to expose the scar on his left shoulder. She noticed he was being careful to keep the other scar on his chest covered.

“You were shot twice? That's pretty unlucky,” Isaac said.

“I survived getting shot twice. That seems lucky to me,” Shawn said.

“Are your guys' jobs really that dangerous?” Finn asked worriedly. “You're not even a real cop and you got shot. I bet people shoot at Aunt Julie all the time.” The other two looked equally worried at this possibility.

Shawn gazed at the boys, a serious look on his face. “Juliet is way more careful than I am. If I had been more like her, I wouldn't have been shot at all,” he told them. He smiled, looking over at her. “Don't worry about your aunt. She's too tough to let anyone get the best of her. Right Jules?”

“Right. You guys have nothing to worry about,” she said. The talk seemed to have alleviated most of their fears, though she saw Finn glancing thoughtfully at her shoulder. He was the most perceptive of the three and she made a mental note to talk with him later.

“You boys planning on letting anyone else talk to our guests?” She turned, seeing her sister-in-law Beth walk into the room. She cast an amused glance at the boys clustered around Shawn. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Did you know Shawn was shot? Twice?” Drake asked.

Beth raised her eyebrows, looking at Juliet. “No, I didn't know that. When did that happen?”

“Once a couple of years ago. Then again a few weeks ago,” Juliet said.

Beth's eyes widened slightly. “I see,” she said slowly. “Do you boys mind if I borrow Juliet for a little while?”

“But Mom,” Drake whined. She gave him a look and he immediately subsided.

“You guys have any good games for that?” Shawn asked, pointing at the Xbox sitting under the TV.

“Yeah, we have a ton of games,” Drake said. The other two boys exchanged a glance. Juliet remembered what had happened the last time she had brought a friend home who challenged them to video games. Carlton was not good with children.

“Don't worry, I'll go easy on you,” Shawn said. “Wouldn't want Jules seeing you guys get your butts kicked.”

“Like you could,” Finn challenged.

Shawn grinned broadly. “Bring it on.”

The boys started digging through their games, arguing over which one they should play. Juliet slipped out of the room with Beth while they were distracted.

In the hallway, Juliet pulled Beth into a quick hug. “It's great to see you Beth.”

“You too.” Beth stepped back, glancing towards the family room. “Halloween was a few weeks ago.”

“It was the same case,” Juliet said, knowing what Beth was asking. “He's fine, just has limited use of his left arm for now.”

Beth sighed. “I don't know how you both do it, knowing the risks.”

“Most of the time, the good outweighs the bad,” Juliet replied.

“And the rest?”

Juliet looked fondly back into the living room, watching her boyfriend playing video games with her nephews. He saw her looking and gave a little wave. “That's what I have Shawn for.”

Beth looked at her thoughtfully. “Is it serious, between you?”

“Yes. I couldn't imagine living without him,” Juliet answered honestly.

Beth nodded, looking satisfied. “Good.” She lead the way towards the kitchen. “I have to warn you, Riley's here.”

Juliet sighed. “What does she want?”

“She claims to be here to check on the plans for Thursday,” Beth said.

Juliet snorted. “And it's just a coincidence that it's around the same time Shawn and I were supposed to get here.”

“Of course,” Beth said with a grin.

Her mom was at the stove. Luke was sitting at the table, reading a book. Riley was looking out the window. All three people looked up as she and Beth entered the room.

“Hello dear,” Mom said. She gave Juliet a peck on the cheek before turning back to the stove. “Lloyd had to run out to get something. We'll be ready to eat when he gets back.”

“That's fine.” She turned to where her youngest nephew was waiting patiently to greet her. “Hi Luke.”

“Hi Aunt Juliet.” She crouched down to give him a hug. Unlike his brothers, he didn't rush into his arms. Rather, he came over calmly, though his hug was no less heartfelt.

“You hiding out in here again?” she asked when he pulled away.

Luke nodded. “I wanted to read my book.”

“Your brothers are playing video games. Why don't you go join them?” Beth suggested.

Luke made a face. “Do I have to?”

Juliet smiled and ruffled his hair. “It won't be too bad. Shawn's out there and I know you wanted to meet him.”

Luke sighed. “OK.”

Juliet stood up as Luke walked back to the table to collect his book. She looked over at the last occupant in the room. “Riley.”

“Juliet,” her cousin said, nodding. “It's been a long time.”

 _Not long enough._ “How are things?” she asked with forced politeness.

Riley shrugged. “Same old, same old.”

Beth watched the exchange, a hint of amusement on her face. “Still fighting?”

“She never apologized,” Juliet said.

“There was nothing to apologize for,” Riley protested.

“You tried to steal my boyfriend,” Juliet snapped angrily.

“He stayed with you, didn't he? I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this,” Riley complained.

“Play nice girls,” Mom admonished, turning to look at them. “I will not have another family meal end in a fight.”

Riley snorted. “Like I'd make that mistake again. Juliet cheats.”

Juliet smirked. “I fight to win.”

“Girls,” Mom said sternly.

Beth hid a grin. She went over to her son, who had been watching the exchange with interest. “Show's over, kiddo. Out you go.”

Luke sighed unhappily but obediently headed for the door. Halfway there, he paused, turning to Juliet. “Will Shawn like me?” he asked quietly.

“Of course he will,” Juliet said. Her youngest nephew was the least social of the bunch and shy around strangers. “Shawn may act a little strange but he's really nice. I'm sure you guys will get along fine.”

Luke nodded and headed toward the family room. Juliet exchanged a look with Beth before moving to the kitchen doorway, her sister-in-law following her. From there they could peek into the family room without being seen. Riley came up quietly behind them, peering over Beth's shoulder.

Luke hesitated at the edge of the room. His brothers ignored him, but Shawn looked over at him. He said something and waved Luke over. He slowly crossed the room to Shawn, glancing now and then at his brothers. They continued to ignore him, too busy playing their game. Shawn handed him the control. Luke looked at him uncertainly, saying something to Shawn. Her boyfriend whispered in his ear, pointing at the other boys. He leaned back with a smile when Luke laughed. The other boys looked at Shawn. He grinned, saying something as he pointed to the TV. They all turned back to the game, Luke looking a good deal more comfortable.

“He's good with them,” Beth commented.

“That's because he's still a kid at heart,” Juliet said. She felt a warm feeling in her chest watching Shawn with her nephews. She couldn't help wondering if Shawn would be like that with their own kids someday.

“Handsome and good with kids? I'm interested,” Riley said.

Juliet glared at her. “He's taken.”

Riley smirked. “For now.”

The arrival of her step-father broke up what would have quickly become another fight. “Juliet! You made it.” He put down the bag he was carrying and pulled her into a hug. “Long time no see, huh?”

“I saw you Friday, Lloyd, when I was helping you and mom pack,” Juliet reminded him.

“Right. Sorry I wasn't here earlier. I had to run to the store to get something for yours and Shawn's arrival.” He reached into the bag, pulling out a spiny, yellow fruit.

“Is that a pineapple?” Shawn asked, coming into the kitchen. Juliet shook her head. Her boyfriend seemed to have a sixth sense for the presence of his favorite fruit.

“It sure is,” Lloyd said, handing him the fruit. Shawn sniffed it appreciatively, like a wine connoisseur examining a rare vintage. Henry and Lloyd had been spending a lot of time together lately, so it wasn't surprising he had learned about Shawn's obsession with the fruit. “How was the flight? No trouble with airport security I hope.”

“Nope.” Shawn put the fruit down so he could bring a hand to his temple. “But I'm sensing that you ran into a problem of your own.”

Juliet sighed, looking at Lloyd with exasperation. “What happened?”

“Just a little problem with the luggage,” Lloyd said dismissively. “It's so confusing what is and isn't allowed on an airplane these days. The security people were actually very nice about it. They helped us find another flight leaving only a few hours later.”

Juliet looked at her mom. She shook her head, but didn't seem upset. Juliet would have to get the details later.

Mom pulled a casserole dish out of the oven where she had been keeping it warm. “Now that you're back, you can help me get dinner on the table. That way the girls can get on with the introductions.” She handed the dish to Lloyd, making a shoeing motion towards the door.

“Of course dear.”

He passed by Shawn on his way to the dining room. Her boyfriend eyed the food with interest. “What culinary treasures are you blessing us with today, Maryanne?”

“Chili-chicken casserole. The boys love it.” She reached into the cabinet and pulled out a stack of dishes. “Play nice you two,” she said, giving Juliet and Riley a hard look before she left the room.

Shawn looked at Juliet curiously. Not wanting to have this discussion with Riley still in the room, she grabbed Beth's arm and pulled her over to him. “I didn't get a chance to introduce you guys before. This is my sister-in-law Beth.”

“It's nice to meet you Shawn. Juliet has told us so much about you,” she said, pulling Shawn in for a careful hug.

“All good things, I hope,” Shawn joked.

Beth smiled slyly, sharing a look with Juliet. “For the most part.”

Shawn glanced at Juliet before turning back to Beth. “Well, I have a few stories of my own to share. If you're interested.”

“Oh, I'm definitely interested,” Beth said, a wicked smile coming across her face. Juliet groaned, imagining the things Shawn would be telling her.

Riley stepped forward as soon as Beth moved away, not waiting for an introduction. “I'm Riley,” she said, giving Shawn a seductive smile. “You're much cuter than I was expecting.” She looked Shawn over, gaze lingering on areas that had Juliet seething inside.

Shawn shrugged, grinning back at her. “Sometimes it's tough to look this good.”

Riley laughed. “I bet.” She ran a hand lightly down Shawn's chest. Juliet was barely able to stop herself from grabbing Riley away from him and throwing her against a wall. She felt Beth come up next to her, laying a hand on her good shoulder. Whether in warning or sympathy Juliet didn't know, but it did help her calm down.

Shawn looked surprised as he quickly took a step back, putting his hands up. “No offense, but I have a strict _no_ _touching_ rule with attractive women. Especially those related to my _girlfriend_.” He glanced nervously at Juliet, clearly uncomfortable with Riley's advances.

“You know, they say rules are made to be broken,” Riley said smiling lasciviously at Shawn. “I have to go, but maybe we can talk again soon.” She gave Shawn one last, lingering look before leaving the kitchen.

Shawn let out a shaky breath. “Well, that was awkward.”

Beth looked back and forth between Shawn and Juliet. She cleared her throat. “I should go get the boys and James.”

Juliet looked at Shawn once they were alone. “Your cousin is. . . interesting,” Shawn said after a moment of tense silence. “Little pushy and could probably do with a lecture on personal space. You know, Gus has just such a lecture prepared. Maybe he can – ”

The rest of his sentence was cut off as Juliet quickly crossed the space between them and pulled Shawn down into a long, hard kiss. After getting over the initial shock, Shawn wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her tighter against him. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, swallowing her moan as she ran her fingers through his hair. They were both breathing hard when they finally separated.

Shawn blinked down at her. “Wow. If that's how you're going to react when someone flirts with me, we should get Riley back in here.”

“Don't even think about it,” Juliet growled.

Shawn gave a slow smile. “You are so incredibly sexy right now.”

She quickly stepped away as her nephews came barreling into the kitchen. Beth herded them on through to the dining room, giving them a knowing smile as she walked past.

Looking at Shawn, she realized how disheveled the impromptu make-out session had left them. She quickly adjusted her clothes, hoping she didn't look as flushed and flustered as she felt. She ignored Shawn's smirk as he also tried to make himself presentable.

James entered the kitchen soon after Beth. He paused, and looked at the two of them with a frown. “Is everything all right?”

Juliet crossed her arms defensively. “Everything's fine.”

“Hmmm.” He looked carefully at Juliet. “I heard Riley was here,” he said carefully. He glanced at Shawn, then back at her, raising an eyebrow. She blushed, realizing James knew exactly what the two of them had just been doing.

“I'm dealing with it,” Juliet said shortly. Shawn came up beside her, taking her hand in his. She smiled at him before turning back to her brother. “I'm sure they're waiting for us.”

James nodded slowly. “Just try to keep things civil with Riley. I don't want any trips to the ER this week.”

Shawn looked at Juliet as they followed James into the dining room. “ER?”

Juliet sighed. “I'll tell you later.”

They sat down at the table. Juliet pushed Riley to the back of her mind and concentrated on enjoying the meal with her family.

* * *

Shawn watched Juliet moving around the room. “Coming to bed?”

“In a minute. I don't want to leave the place a mess.”

Shawn rolled his eyes. “This is a vacation, Jules. That means we're supposed to make messes and not care about them.”

“What if my brother needs to come in here for something? I don't want him to think I'm a slob,” She continued organizing the pile of clothes from her suitcase, making sure everything was neatly stacked and out of the way.

“You can just blame me.” He sighed, laying back to stare up at the ceiling. “You're brother doesn't seem to like me much anyway.”

“He just takes awhile to warm up to people. I'm sure you'll win him over buy the end of the week.” She finished with the clothes and walked over to the couch. She sat next to him, leaning against the back of the couch. He grabbed one of her hands, lacing their fingers together and studying the effect.

“At least everyone else seems to like me. Especially that cousin of yours,” Shawn said teasingly. He grinned when Juliet replied with a snort.

“Jealous, Jules?” he asked. He knew from the make-out session earlier in the kitchen (which was insanely hot by the way) that something was going on between her and Riley.

When she didn't answer right away, he looked up at her. She had a frown on her face as she stared down intently at the sheets, avoiding his gaze. He sighed, sitting up and turning so they were face to face. “You know I love you, right?”

Juliet looked up at him, startled by the question. “Of course I do. And _I_ love you.”

Shawn smiled, heart swelling as it always did hearing those words. “Then you have nothing to worry about. I wouldn't give up what we have for anything.”

“Not even pineapple?” Juliet asked, half-serious.

Shawn shook his head. “Not even pineapple,” he confirmed.

Juliet smiled as she leaned in to kiss him. Her lips were soft and light against his. He reached up, pulling her towards him as he intensified the kiss. He was just starting to think he might get lucky after all when she broke off with a deep yawn.

Shawn sighed, falling back on the bed. “You're killing me Jules.”

“I told you no sex on this trip,” Juliet reminded him. She yawned again, any anger he was feeling fading away when he saw how tired his girlfriend was.

“We should probably get some sleep,” Shawn said, patting the bed next to him. “Come on.”

She scooted down until she was lying flat on the couch. Shawn wrapped the blanket around them as Juliet nestled into his side. “Night Shawn.”

“Night Jules,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

Juliet fell asleep first, still worn out from her recent illness. Shawn lay awake awhile longer, thinking about what she had said earlier. Juliet may claim she doesn't care what her family thinks of him, but deep down he knew she did. They were a close-knit bunch, a fact Shawn greatly envied. He didn't want to cause a rift between Juliet and her family.

He would just have to work extra hard this week to make sure everyone liked him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a project due on the 15th, so you probably won't see an update before that unless I finish really early.
> 
> Who is your favorite relative so far?


End file.
